Massacre at Winhill
by Loren
Summary: The last days following up to the death of Raine and the birth of Squall. Very cute, in a bloody sort of a way :).


Disclaimer: Read it because it's fun. Review it because I need to know if it sucks. Don't sue because I recognize Final Fantasy belongs to Squaresoft and I'm just a dorky fanfic writer.  
  
She blissfully stepped from the house into the street, carrying the tiny purple orchids. Her long brown was brushed back by the wind. The woman walked hastily to her friend's home, a hotel near the town of Winhill's entrance. Coming to the door, she hurried in. Raine never bothered knocking, for they had been close friends all their lives. Despite it was August, it seemed a frigid winter was right around the corner. Raine had to be as careful as possible now than ever. With her husband far away, she was the only protector of the child inside.  
  
" Rachel? I brought you flowers," she called. A woman emerged from upstairs. She was impatiently tying back her stubborn blonde hair. She took the flowers and decorated them around a cross that stood on a mantle.  
  
" Hi Raine. Have you heard anything from Laguna lately?" Rachel said.  
  
" Nothing new. He's still in Esthar," Raine paused, " I'm starting to doubt he's coming back anytime soon. I hope he does because my back aches so much. And if they won't allow Laguna to leave, I'll go to Esthar myself."  
  
Rachel was about to speak some words of comfort, but a baby's cry interrupted from the other room.   
  
" Just a minute. Lately, he hasn't stopped crying. That's odd since he's almost a year old. Usually he doesn't cry," Rachel brought her son into the room. He looked a lot like his father, just with his mother's hair color.  
  
" Did you ever get any news about Alex?" Raine asked. Alex was Rachel's husband. They made a perfect pair, even though they were the opposite of each other. I guess they gave each other what was lacking. He had been gone for a while, fighting the war against Adel. But the war had been over for weeks and Alex had not returned yet. Raine knew it pained Rachel so much to not have him around.   
  
" I guess it's safe to assume he's dead," she replied bitterly.  
  
" Esthar's far away. The military's probably too cheap to give them a fast way home."  
  
" How am I going to make enough to pay for this place? This hotel rarely ever has business. I was depending on Alex's military allowance, but they stopped sending it a few weeks ago. I've been scratching the bottom of the barrel to feed myself and the baby."  
  
" It's been hard for me too. Winhill's in the middle of nowhere. It's hard to get any business in the tavern. But Ellone and I are trying and we're doing okay. Don't fall into despair yet," Raine smiled.  
  
" I guess you're right. But I'm going to move to Deling if things don't–," Rachel started, but Ellone had bursted through the door and tugged onto Raine's arm.  
  
" Soldiers! Soldiers are here!" Ellone shouted.  
  
" Soldiers? Why would they be here?" Raine wondered.   
  
Then a few gunshots rang out. Ellone screamed. Rachel clutched her son closer.  
  
" Quiet," Rachel ordered her as she peeked out the window.  
  
" Open up! Evacuate the house!" a knock pounded on the door.   
  
" They're probably here for Ellone. Go out the backdoor and hurry somewhere to hide. I'll distract them. Go!" Rachel told Raine.  
  
" But what about you?" Raine stopped.  
  
" I'll be okay. They're after your Elly. There's no other reason they'd come here," she insisted.  
  
" Okay. Be careful though!" Raine grabbed Ellone's hand and headed away.  
  
" Open up! Or we'll force our way in!" the knocking intensified.  
  
" Okay!" Rachel turned the knob and opened her door. Half a dozen of fierce soldiers stood at her step.  
  
" What's going on?" she asked innocently.  
  
" Where's Ellone Loire?!" one yelled.  
  
" I don't know where she is. I thought she moved closer to Esthar to be with her father," Rachel lied.  
  
" Liar! Let us search the house!" another demanded.  
  
" But there's nothing here," Rachel said, even though there were pictures upstairs of Raine, Laguna, and Ellone. Rachel knew she didn't want them to find their footprints at her backdoor either. There was too much evidence in this house connecting her to Ellone. She didn't want to help destroy Raine's family.   
  
But she feared for her one year old son's life. He was all she had left.  
  
" Last warning!" they demanded before they barged in. It was too late to do anything.   
  
The soldier rushed in, guns roaring. Rachel fell to the floor. Her little son cried in terror at the sight. His crying was silenced when a soldier's hit his head with the butt of the rifle. The child slumped to the floor, into a puddle of his own mother's blood.  
  
  
Raine watched the soldiers leave the town. They hadn't found Ellone and her. Gunshots still were echoing from earlier. The approaching rainstorm in the distance would soon stop that.  
  
" Oh my god! Rachel!" she exclaimed. Raine hoped she was okay.   
  
Raine started to head out of the field and towards Rachel's house, but she fell to her knees in pain.   
  
" Not now... please," she felt the contractions begin.  
  
" What's wrong?" Ellone shook her shoulder.  
  
" Go get the florist. She lives right over there. Hurry!" Raine urged her. Ellone ran to that house, without a complaint or question to why.   
  
Within seconds, the florist hurried out with Ellone to the field.  
  
" I'm going into labor soon. I can feel it!" Raine explained. Then she screamed in hurt.  
  
" Stay calm. It'll be okay," the old woman calmed her. Raine screamed again.  
  
" The contractions are so close!" Raine cried.   
  
" Just stay calm. I'll get help!" the old woman ran off, suddenly extremely worried. Ellone kneeled down next to her and stroked back her long brown hair.  
  
" Oh Elly. Something's wrong. I know it," Raine said.  
  
" I wish Uncle Laguna was here," she replied.  
  
" I do too," Raine tried to stay strong.  
  
" It's starting to rain," Ellone looked up into the cloudy sky.  
  
" A passing storm," Raine smiled in the midst of her agony.   
  
  
Note: It's sorta short. But that's the only way I can figure it wouldn't drag the story on. If you weren't clever enough to notice, Rachel's son was Seifer. Blonde hair. Cross. Orphan. I didn't want to hint it too much. And of course, this is where Raine gives birth to Squall and dies. I just loved this concept and thought of writing it for a long time. There really is a hotel in Winhill, but it's empty and I think there was a golden cross there. I can't quite remember. But if you ever go to Winhill, check it out for me, okay? I think it would make a very sweet story for Seifer's past too. Seifer is one of my favorite characters. :).   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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